The present invention relates to cable terminations and more particularly to duplex or two-wire cable terminations that snap into place and include snap-on cable retainers, neither of which requires twisting for locking.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,933 issued Jun. 27, 2000 in the name of Thomas J. Gretz for, xe2x80x9cSnap in Cable Connectorxe2x80x9d describes a locking cable connector composed of three mating pieces that snap together and provide a connector for helically wound armored or metal clad electrical conductors. A spring steel adapter is used in conjunction with an electrical junction box to fix the location of the locking cable connector with respect to the junction box. The first piece of the snap in locking cable connector is a die cast member including at its inbound end a smooth outer cylindrical section having an outer diameter with flanges that accommodates a spring steel adapter. The second piece is a spring steel locking ring provided to receive a helically wound shielded cable that is inserted into the out end of the die cast member. The locking ring has outwardly directed tangs that allow insertion into the die cast member but restrict withdrawal thereof from the die cast member. The locking ring also has oppositely or outwardly directed tangs to receive the armored cable and to restrict its movement in the opposite or withdrawal direction.
The spring steel locking ring has a cut out section that permits slight compression so that the locking ring may be easily inserted into the die cast member. Once inserted, the locking ring is able to expand to the full inner diameter of the die cast member to provide a tight and secure fit.
The present invention provides a duplex connector comprising a housing and an insert in the housing that provides two inbound end apertures that conduct two armored cables to and through a single outbound end aperture. The inbound end apertures incorporate the snap in spring steel retainers of U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,432 to provide a connector that allows rapid and simplified installation of a pair of armored cables into a single junction box outlet. The outbound end of the duplex connector of the present invention preferably has a smooth outer cylindrical section and includes an outer diameter with flanges that accommodates a spring steel snap-in adapter for retention of the duplex connector in a junction box. The two inbound apertures each include a spring steel retainer having outwardly extending tangs that hold it in the inbound aperture and inwardly extending tangs that retain an inserted cable and resist retraction thereof from the duplex connector. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inwardly extending tangs are oriented to guide an inserted armored cable toward the single outbound end of the duplex connector. According to various preferred embodiments of the present invention, the outwardly extending tangs engage: 1) apertures in the housing, 2) grooves or ridges in the interior of the housing, or 3) the interior walls of the housing frictionally or by interference.